128 
ATTACK AND DEFENCE OF A POSITION. 
verging and cross fire to bear on them, so as to render them unten¬ 
able, even before the assault of the infantry takes place. Especially 
are woods dangerous that stretch from the position to ground that 
may be reached by the enemy, for they enable him to creep up under 
cover into the heart of the position. There should also be facilities 
in some one or more portions of the position for delivering counter¬ 
attacks. 
The most favourable sort of position appears to be the crest of a 
broad ridge, gently sloping towards the enemy, and with the reverse 
slope not too steep to allow troops to move freely on it, and open. 
In this case there is good cover for the reserves, the troops in front 
line may be well protected without works of high relief, which will 
attract the enemy’s notice and give him good objects to aim at, and 
the ground over which he will have to advance will be most effectively 
swept by fire. Villages, coppices, &c., in the line of battle must be 
strongly occupied and held, as they will infallibly attract to them¬ 
selves the enemy’s attack, but it is doubtful whether they give 
as much strength now as formerly, for they afford an excellent 
mark to the enemy’s artillery, which, if it concentrates its fire upon 
them, can hardly fail to render them untenable, whereas mere lines 
of trenches on an open crest of a hill give but a poor object to aim 
at. Positions should not be chosen in which there are villages, 
woods, &c., within range of the position, but which cannot be in¬ 
cluded in the main line of defence. With respect to very steep 
ground, it may be said that it gives to the defenders certain advan¬ 
tages at the price of other disadvantages. Its disadvantages are that 
in most cases the slopes cannot be effectively seen from the defenders’ 
shelter trenches unless the latter are actually on the face of the slope 
when they are much exposed to the attacking artillery. On the other 
hand, if the main line of defence is a little way back from the edge 
of the heights, the attacking infantry will mask its own artillery 
when it reaches the plateau, and it will be very difficult for the latter 
to obtain a forward position from which it can continue to support 
its infantry, as it will, in order to do so, have to mount the heights 
and come within the effective fire of the infantry in the defenders’ 
line on the high ground. The truth of this was clearly seen both in 
the battle of Woerth and in that of Spicheren. 
As regards the ground on which the enemy will have to deploy his 
forces for the attack, it is an advantage to the defenders if it is inter¬ 
sected and cut up by woods or obstacles that will hinder the development 
of his artillery, and if the lateral communications are few and bad, 
especially if some impassable obstacle divides portions of his front. 
It will of course very seldom be the case that a position can be 
found that will combine all these advantages. All that can be done 
is to choose that which has most advantages and fewest disadvantages, 
bearing in mind that the most important points are protection for the 
flanks, open ground in front, good lateral communications, and cover 
for the reserves. 
Let us now suppose that the position has been selected^ the next 
